STRANGLER OF BLACKMOOR CASTLE

THE STRANGLER OF BLACKMOOR CASTLE (1963). Director: Harald Reinl. West Germany.

A British nobleman, Lucius Clark (Rudolf Fernau), expecting to be knighted, lives with his niece, Claridge (Karin Dor), a reporter, on the rented estate of a weird Scottish Laird (Hans Nielsen), who is only one of many suspects in a series of murders around and about the estate. A very lively and sadistic maniac, who always wears a hood concealing his identity, strangles numerous victims, in some cases branding their foreheads and generally beheading them in various grisly and creative ways. He also has only nine fingers. Inspectors Mitchell (Harry Riebauer) and Watson (Gerhard Hartig) try to fit the murders in with some stolen diamonds and a nightspot called the Old Scavenger Inn, while Claridge's associate Mike Pierce (Hans Reiser) also tries to figure out what's what. Entertaining mystery-horror pic is no masterpiece but it moves along at a brisk pace and keeps you guessing.

Verdict: Heads will roll! **1/2.